


The Swan Princes

by be_17forever



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen, Multi, Seventeen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-07-26 22:17:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7592371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/be_17forever/pseuds/be_17forever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the empire of Pledis, thirteen princes rule over the thirteen states. Their brotherhood is challenged and tested when the emperor suddenly falls ill. </p><p>Fantasy AU, inspired by the military jacket outfits worn during Seventeen's special performance at KCON NY.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1: The Thirteen Princes

As the last of the princes rushed into the hall, Phineas, the emperor's most trusted advisor, shut the door and locked it tightly. A hush fell over the room. 

"I trust that you have had pleasant travels here," the old man murmured curtly, "There is a reason why we've gathered you all to this place. Most of you should have heard from the grape vine-- or certainly would have figured it out by now-- that the emperor's health is deteriorating rapidly."

The room buzzed with whispers that fell silent quickly as Phineas gave a sharp look. "Now, what we want to prevent is internal fighting and discord amongst you, for that will surely lead to the fall of the empire. That is why we have brought you all here. We will make a decision and declare a new emperor exactly in one month."

"But sir," Prince Chan, the youngest among them all, conjectured, "We already have a hierarchy here. Prince Seungcheol is already the heir apparent, as he is the direct and oldest son of the emperor." 

Phineas gave a steel stare that made Prince Chan squirm in his seat. "That may have been so," Phineas carefully chose his words, "but there is also another matter at hand. Whoever inherits the empire must be deemed fit to rule by the counsel. There is also the marriage issue to consider: shortly after the coronation, the new emperor must form matrimony with Princess Lebeda of the Cigna empire, which we're in tenuous relationship with right now."

The words fell like a blow across the room. Each prince was stunned-- indeed, they were still quite young and did not expect the matter to arise so quickly since the Emperor was only in his forties. The weight of the news was starting to hit them hard. 

"Of course," the old man croaked, "Age will be taken into consideration. But that is not to say, Prince Chan, that you are completely out of the running because of your youth. Each of you will be interviewed by the counsel and we will select worthy candidates from there. Then, you will be put through a series of tests. Because the one who wears the crown must be able to bear the crown." 

Prince Chan swallowed hard and mumbled something about not even wanting the stupid seat before being hushed by Prince Myungho. There was a knock at the door. Voltaire, the head guard, ducked out quickly and then returned, whispering something to Phineas. 

The advisor turned to face the sole window in the room, a huge stained glass made up of triangular fractal patterns. "So, it is time," the wizened figure sighed after a pause, "to present all of you to the counsel. You will briefly introduce your name and the region you reign over. The counsel knows much about you-- ah, yes, even things you think are hidden from the view of others-- but they do not yet match the name to the face." The statement caused a sudden chill in the princes' spines. They were taught from early on that the "walls have ears" but Phineas made the process sound ominous, making them unsure if this was just an empty threat of if they, indeed, had been privy to the most secret parts of the princes' lives. 

A bunch of men in brown tunics shuffled in, their faces and eyes covered by deep hoods. Phineas sat them down at the window side of the table. "Now, Prince Seungcheol. Will you begin the honors? Then, we will go down the line by age." 

The eldest prince stood up, his wavy hair falling over his eyes. He was not imposing in height, but something about him gave an air of heftiness, a royal stature. All his life, Seungcheol had been groomed as the heir presumptive. He was also charmingly handsome. His deep, large eyes sparkled as he stood up straight, his hands clasped behind his back. "I am Prince Seungcheol, son of Emperor Pleiadeus and Queen Mirinae, ruler of Pleione, the capitol region." He gave a curt nod and a small smile. 

The pale, thin prince with long, dark hair stood up, bowing. The softness of his eyes and the angelic beauty of his face was breathtaking. His face was both feminine and masculine, strange mixes of emotions set into his expressions. The prince stood somewhat timidly, although that did not take away from his unearthly aura. "Hello, I am Prince Jeonghan, son of King Ahan and Queen Pleiadne. I am the ruler of Asterope." He bowed again and sat quietly. 

Next to him, a prince doe-like eyes and soft brown hair pushed his chair back to stand. He shook his hair away from the front of his face and his many piercings and jewelry glittered in the sunlight. "I am Prince Joshua, son of King Ahan and Princess Catalina, the ruler of Alcyone." His words carried a slight affect, the throatiness of his smooth voice accentuating the foreignness of it. Flashing a small smile, he sat back into his chair. 

A tall, dashingly handsome prince stood after him, his long limbs moving gracefully. His jawline was sharp and angular, his nose prominent. The short, blonde hair fell cleanly into a single large curl. "I am Prince Jun, the son of Emperor Pleiadeus and Princess Fanyi. I am the ruler of Atlas." He winked, which made the other princes wince internally. Prince Jun was not good at keeping things serious. 

A thin boy with sharp, cold eyes got up, his face half-hidden by the large spectacles he wore. The long tail of his eyes and the sharpness of his face shape gave him very fox-like features. "Hello," he boomed with a deep voice, "I am Prince Wonwoo, the son of King Xerxes and Queen Belu, the ruler of the island of Electra." He looked pensively at the counsel members before taking his seat.  

Next, the boy with fluffy, pale, straw blonde hair leaped up, his face slightly hardened by nerves. He peered at the counsel members with a tiger-like gaze from his sharply pointed eyes. Then, he broke out into a soft, baby-like grin. "I am Prince Hoshi, the son of King Pleinarius and Princess Nara, the ruler of Maia Major. This is my twin." He waved his hand towards the boy next to him, who turned his head, refusing to give in. 

This boy, the shortest of the bunch, instead stood up, his standing height not much taller than the sitting height of some because of how high the chairs were. However, by no means did the lack of height commanded any less respect-- there was a certain charismatic quality about his sharp eyes. "Hello, I am Prince Woozi, the son of King Pleinarius and Princess Nara. I am the ruler of Maia Minor." Expressionless, he gave a curt nod before sitting. 

A smiling, muscular boy with tan skin stood up. His dark brown hair was uncombed and messy. He cleared his throat, chasing away the nerves. "Hello, I am Prince Dokyeom, the son of King Ahan and Queen Pleiadne, the ruler of North Asterope. Wonderful to meet you." He flashed another smile with his eyes. 

Next to him, a boy with silvery dark hair went from leaning on his elbows on the table to standing tall. Even though he was not standing up straight, it was clear that he was the tallest of the group. His broad shoulders and statuesque figure made him quite a sight in the white dress jacket he chose to wear today. The prince's eyes twinkled with mischief, his mouth curled into a smile. "I am Prince Mingyu, the son of Emperor Pleiadeus and Queen Mirinae, the ruler of Celaeno." His chin pointed up, he looked over at the other princes, and then sat down.

With large, puppy-like eyes alert, the boy sitting at the very end of the table stood up. He shook his floppy curls out of his face. His thin body and long limbs gave an image of weakness but the power with which he moved suggested otherwise. "Hello, I am Prince Myungho, the son of King Pleinarius and Princess Wilhelmina, the ruler of Merope." His soft, baby-like voice lingered in the room as he took his seat again. 

Another prince, with softly curling brown hair falling across his eyebrows, started to get up. His eyes were round and expressive, his long dark lashes curling around them. His cheekbones were prominent but his lips were thin, curled into a cat-like smile. He looked like a cherubim, with soft, glowing features and warmness about his face. "I am Prince Seungkwan," he gracefully projected with a husky, melodic voice, "the son of King Pleinarius and Queen Lorelai, the ruler of Sterope." The boy sat down gracefully, giving an ethereal smile as he did so. 

Right next to him, a prince with dark brown hair parted down the middle stood up, his eyes half-closed and dreamy. His features were angular, almost elf-like. His light-brown eyes gleamed in the sunlight and he pursed his lips before speaking. "I am Prince Vernon, the son of King Hyaden and Queen Elena. I am the ruler of Tauri." He sat down after bowing. 

Finally, Prince Chan, who had been huffing with his arms crossed since he was hushed, stood up reluctantly. Being the youngest of the bunch, there was something definitely soft and child-like about his smooth skin and fluffy hair. However, the steely strength that his eyes exuded and his sharp jaw made him look manly at the same time. "I am Prince Chan, the son of Emperor Pleiadeus and Princess Fanyi, ruler of Taygeta." Though the rebellious attitude did not disappear from his eyes, he bowed politely to the counsel and took his seat. 

Phineas stood at the head of the table and cleared his throat. "So, the thirteen princes, all gathered here. The counsel will, over the next few days, interview each of you to see whether you are fit to rule this great empire. Until the coronation has taken place, each of you will also remain in the capitol to dispel any... unsavory rumors about discord amongst you. You will also, of course, take an oath not to challenge or rebel against the decision once it has been made."

"How will you enforce that?" Prince Seungkwan thought out loud. 

The old man gave a knowing look. "There are ways to, shall we say, encourage you to keep in line. Do remember that we have done extensive research on each one of you. We know where your deepest desires and fears lie." A shiver ran up Prince Seungkwan's spine as he heard Phineas's threat. 

"Now," Phineas distributed a document to each Prince, "please sign this agreement. You may be off to your way afterwards, but be prepared to be summoned at any hour of the day, starting from tomorrow." 


	2. Chapter 2: Dekatria: Boys Be

"That's such bull..." Prince Chan whispered angrily as the Princes left the hall. Prince Jun ruffled his brother's hair lovingly. "It is, but what can we do? We are just puppets born into this life."

Chan glanced over at Prince Seungcheol, who was leading the group towards the dining hall. "Yeah, but you and I both know that Prince Seungcheol had been groomed his whole life to take over the throne. None of us had problems with that. It's demeaning to hear from that old fart what "secrets" they've dug from spying on all of us. We are princes of our own states, are we not?"

Seungcheol, for his part, had not even bat an eyelash since the news was announced. He seemed as congenial and pleasant as always.

Jun ruffled Chan's hair again. "I'm sure our older brother has it figured out. You have to stay positive. Besides, are you sure that you don't want to contend for the throne? Phineas seemed to want to see you try." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Prince Chan cringed at the thought. "Ugh, no thanks, plus that marriage deal? Cigna empire is so far away from Taygeta. I don't think I've met a single person from there my whole life."

"You've met me," Prince Wonwoo dropped into the conversation dreamily, "I was technically born in my mother's native land."

Chan blushed, realizing what he had said. "Oh, I forgot. Sorry."

Wonwoo gave a deep throaty laugh. "It's okay. So I take it you're not going to seriously contend for the throne?" Chan shook his head adamantly.

"Me neither," Jun sighed, "I can't imagine spending all of my time roping in you fools. That's no fun at all." They laughed and high-fived each other.

"What about you, Prince Wonwoo?" Chan asked curiously. Since he was the most bookish of them all, Wonwoo certainly had the smarts to run the empire.

Prince Wonwoo gave a wistful smile. "Me, an outsider, be given the keys to the empire? No way. I'm not even related by blood to you all, my father just happened to suck up to your father really well to be spared from being stripped of a title." He said it so as-a-matter-of-factly, no bitterness, that it made Chan and Jun wince for him. "Besides," Wonwoo continued, "I love Electra too much to leave it for good. They're good people but they don't have much. Someone needs to fight for them."

Suddenly, Chan felt ashamed of his own motives for not wanting the throne.

"Cousins!" Prince Myungho joined them, putting his arms around Jun and Chan, "What will you be doing after the feast tonight?"

Prince Seungkwan whipped his head around at those words. "Feast? Did you say feast, brother?" The doe-eyed Myungho nodded solemnly and motioned for Seungkwan to join the bunch. "That's what I heard. They had me bring 20 cattle from Merope today just for it." The other princes all smiled at Prince Myungho's words. Meropian beef was well known as the best quality of beef in this part of the world.

Prince Seungkwan spotted and shouted at Prince Vernon, who was his best friend. "Vernon, did you bring honey mead from Tauri?"

The handsome boy flipped his hair and smiled. "Of course, wouldn't be a trip to meet you all if I don't bring at least 30 caskets of the good stuff. I know you like to drink a few goblets to use it as an excuse to show your singing off, eh, Seungkwan?" The boys laughed. When they teased each other like this, it was easy to forget that each one of them carried heavy burdens on their back.

"Prince Vernon, will you be vying for the throne?" Jun asked, hushing a bit as they got closer to the other princes at the head of the crowd. Vernon knit his eyebrows and pursed his lips, thinking. "I suppose there's nothing wrong with trying, but I sincerely doubt my chances. I mean, I am only distantly related to the emperor and Tauri is such as small place, anyways, there wouldn't be a good reason to pick me as a successor."

"But," Seungkwan pressed, "if given the chance, would you?" Vernon gave a shrug. "I might. Why not? I trust in us to keep the empire orderly. And I trust in me to not let the power get to my head."

"An interesting thought..." Wonwoo murmured to himself as he saw Mingyu slow down to join them, letting go of the twins who had been trapped under his arms during the walk. Mingyu grinned at him and winked, the light shining off of his dark hair like silver gleaming. "Brothers, are you ready to feast? We prepared the finest feast for you at our castle." His voice dripped of confidence, a certain swagger that made him very charismatic.

"This castle is not yours," Prince Myungho noted with amusement in his voice, "Or have you suddenly become the prince over Pleione?" The other princes stifled a knowing giggle but Mingyu only smirked at the remark, not letting it phase him. "Well," he scoff as he waved his hand, "when my older brother becomes the emperor, I will certainly be called upon to help him rule Pleione. He's going to be busy with overseeing the empire."

Jun elbowed him playfully. "Hey, you've got other brothers too. Besides, who's to say that Seungcheol will ascend to the throne? They said they'll consider everyone."

"Oh, c'mon," Mingyu rolled his eyes, "of course it will be my older brother Seungcheol. He's been trained his whole life for this moment. He's the oldest of our father's sons and our mother is the Queen, not some lowly princess, which gives us the most legitimacy to the throne. Was he not also good at keeping all of us in line so far? He will take the throne. And he will give me the greatest responsibilities. I am his only full-blooded brother after all."

Seeing Chan and Jun's face stiffen at the mention of their mothers and legitimacy, Seungkwan quickly changed the conversation. "Well, what do you think about Phineas and the supposed dirt he has on all of us?"

Mingyu, thankfully, took the bait. "I have no reason to be ashamed," he said, shaking a leaf off of his dark, steely hair, "I lived a clean and good life, my state continues to prosper. I have no secrets to hide."

He paused meaningfully, looking at Seungkwan. "As, I'm sure, all of you have."

While Seungkwan's face flushed with embarrassment and fear, Prince Dokyeom came to join them also.

"My brother and Prince Joshua are talking about some manuscript that they read... again! So boring. What are you guys talking about?" he smiled as he slung his arms around Seungkwan and Wonwoo.

"Something equally as boring," Wonwoo quipped, gently lifting Dokyeom's arm off of his back, "the future of this empire." Dokyeom cracked up at the comment and began to tickle Wonwoo, who responded in equal playfulness. In a heartbeat, Prince Jun joined them while Dino and Seungkwan greeted the twin princes, who were jogging back to join them.

“Hey, the party’s here now!” Prince Hoshi, the more jovial of the two, laughed as he joined them. In contrast, Prince Woozi smiled brightly but was quiet in a way that Prince Chan always thought was very mature and charismatic. The twins were very different in personality and appearance, which made Chan wonder how they could have shared the same womb for nine months.

They were fast approaching the castle as Prince Woozi explained about the prized fish he had frozen and brought from Maia Minor-- what a hassle that sounded like-- and found the eldest three princes waiting for them at the door.

“Please, brothers,” Prince Seungcheol smiled kindly as he greeted them, “the Counsel has prepared a feast for you and I have the honor of hosting it in our castle. I know many of you gladly brought choice products from your kingdoms to share. Please ask me of anything else you might need. Thank you, all, and may Pledis stand strong forever.”

The princes entered the hall, which was decked out in choice linen and filled with servants busily moving about with silverware and plates. The middle banquet table was decorated with colorful pink and blue flowers. Each prince took their seats and gaped at the platters of roasted beef, legs of lamb, and entire suckling pigs laid out on the table. Prince Woozi sighed in relief when he saw that the fish he had brought had been cooked properly and individually served in front of them. The princes took seat, amazed and eager to dig into the meal in front of them.

Before they could dig in, the servants filled their goblets with honey mead. “Let’s give a toast,” Prince Seungcheol said, raising his cup, “to Pledis!”

“To Pledis!” they yelled back at a smiling Seungcheol.

But Prince Jeonghan noticed through the corner of his eyes that Phineas was sitting far off from the rest of them, looking not at the massive amount of food on the table but staring intently at the princes.

“What’s wrong?” Prince Joshua, his best friend, inquired as he stuffed his mouth full of mashed potatoes. Jeonghan loved food, so it was not like him to hesitate in front of a meal. “Nothing,” Jeonghan smiled and shook his head, “I’m just… it’s all a little bit strange, isn’t it? Uncle is sick and all of the sudden, we’re all summoned here and they’re saying that Seungcheol wasn’t the immediate choice for the throne…” He trailed off in a thought as Joshua grabbed a leg off of a roast duck and offered it to him.

“I agree, something feels a little fishy and it’s not Woozi’s special tuna fish…” Joshua shrugged, “But what can we do? Our lives are not our own.” Jeonghan nodded and took a bite out of the duck, which was crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. He felt a little bit better.

Prince Chan, who was sitting across from them, caught Jeonghan’s eyes and winked. The two older princes smiled back at the youngest, who was at the cusp of changing from a boy to a man. Jeonghan looked around at all the princes, eating and drinking merrily, and then again at the silent and aloof Phineas. This burdened his heart even further. He loved the princes, the brotherhood that they’ve had since they were young.

He would do anything to protect them.

A pair of hands came upon Jeonghan’s wide shoulders. “Cheolie!” Jeonghan yelled instinctively, without even looking. He recognized those thick fingers instantly. Hands fit for hardworking farmers and warrior kings, Jeonghan remembered his father saying bitterly, comparing the two boys’ hands.

The eldest ruffled his cousins hair and smiled down at the two of them. “Are you enjoying your meal? Why, Prince Jeonghan, you haven’t touched your silvers yet. Are you ill?” His face darkened with concern.

Determined not to let his worrying show, Jeonghan jabbed Seungcheol’s sides playfully. “Just because I am not guzzling down food like you guys, it doesn't mean there’s anything wrong with eating like a civilized human being.” Seungcheol’s face relaxed and he punched back at the cheeky comment.

In that moment, Jeonghan’s worries fled from his mind. Whatever the sly old Phineas had in store for them, he was confident that Prince Seungcheol would lead all of them through it.

Jeonghan took another bite of the duck leg, taking another look at the smiling faces of all the princes. It would be a shame not to enjoy this rare moment, when all thirteen of them were gathered together to just be boys.


	3. Chapter 3: since feeling is first

It had been nearly three hours since the last of the princes left the hall to retire to their rooms, but Prince Seungcheol remained to direct staff for the clean up. Actually, Thaddeus, the caretaker of the castle, and Helene, his no-nonsense wife, had the staff in a tight order for the clean up already. Seungcheol was just occasionally moving some of the dishes around or helping lift the buckets of water for the mopping crew. Finally, Helene spoke up.

“Your highness, we know that you care for us, but for goodness sake, please go up to your room for rest! We’ll be just as efficient without you lingering around here. Let us do our job and, my prince, you can wake up refreshed tomorrow to worry about taking care of our families properly.”

Seungcheol threw up his white flag at the matron’s insistence, laughing. “Fine, dear lady. I will go up to my bed, as you wish. But,” he added shyly, “can I get Persephone’s good-night tea up in my bedroom?”

Thaddeus and Helene shared a nervous glance. It wasn’t unusual for the prince to request this special recipe from their daughter, but he had asked for one almost every day since the year started. Persephone made the tea dutifully and had not complained or said anything about it, promptly returning to her room in a content spirit afterwards.

“Your highness, are you sure that is a good idea?” inquired Thaddeus carefully, “You have had so much to eat and drink today. It is already so late.” Persephone was watching wordlessly from the door of the kitchen.

“I cannot fall asleep without it,” whined Prince Seungcheol uncharacteristically, “unless, of course, you are too tired to make it for me, Persephone?” He looked back and forth between the daughter and her parents.

Those large cow-like eyes and the dreamy smile was difficult to say no to, even for Helene, who had been Seungcheol’s nurse when he was little.

“If you insist, your highness,” Persephone said quietly, “I will get it prepared as quickly as possible. If, that is, you are truly not running the risk of overeating today.” She spoke with a firmness that betrayed her usual meek exterior.

The prince, though, blissfully unaware of this, nodded his head eagerly and smiled. “Oh, don’t worry, this stomach can handle more than just a cup of tea still. Thank you all for today and please get some rest! Good night.”

He gave a big hug to Helene, who had practically raised him and Mingyu for all their lives, filling in the emptiness left by their mother’s absence due to her frequent illness.

Helene sighed as she watched Prince Seungcheol run upstairs in an undignified manner. He was much too old for her to continue yelling at him. Outside these walls, he was the treasured crown prince, ruling deftly and overseeing all the businesses of the capital state. But inside her heart, he was still the sweet gentle boy who loved horsing around and rough housing with the boys but teared up with compassion when he was told that he could not bring in that wounded puppy that he found in the field.

As soon as he opened the door to his chambers, Seungcheol took off all of the heavy dress he had on, his body groaning underneath the heaps or fabric and metal. The jacket fell with a resounding thud. His boots stunk.

He was dead tired and ready to fall asleep after the long and stressful day. Although he was so glad to see all of the princes come in, the meeting with Phineas and the Counsel left him drained and worried. He didn't show it to the others, of course, but his father’s health worried him. All of them were far too young to rule. He had doubted about his own ability to lead in the past. Perhaps it was for the best that the other princes were being considered for the throne also.

The prince changed quickly into his night clothes, giving up on tying the shirt as it required too much focus to thread the eyelets than his heavy eyes can bear. As he sat on the edge of the bed, Prince Seungcheol felt the slight buzz from the merriment of the meal mix with the pressure and expectations from those around him. They swirled around his head, making him dizzy and anxious.

A knock woke him up from his thoughts. Seungcheol rushed to the door and opened it immediately, to see a startled Persephone with a cup of tea. At once, some of his anxiety and fatigue melted. “Thank you, my lady,” he smiled at her, taking the cup. Persephone made a short curtsy and began to leave. “Wait,” he called out to her.

“Stay with me for a bit,” he pleaded as he sipped the hot tea, “so you can take the cup down when I finish.” Without resistance, Persephone did as he requested. She lifted her eyes off the floor to face him but then hurriedly lowered her eyes, her expression startled.

Seungcheol looked to see what had surprised her. He blushed as he realized that he had forgotten to close the front of his night shirt, his chest bare for all of the world to see. Quickly, he grabbed his right shoulder with his left hand, pretending to not have noticed anything while covering up his chest with the long sleeves.

“Persephone,” he sighed, “I am anxious. This whole deal with the Counsel questioning all of us… and father’s health deteriorating… I know I may not ascend to the throne but I am still the eldest, I should be protecting my brothers. This whole ordeal doesn’t feel good.”

Seungcheol felt like he could confess all of his worries to Persephone. He had been taught his whole life to guard his feelings, to shut them down and not let anyone in. To the rest of the world, Seungcheol had to be the stoic, dependable ruler, calm and composed in all circumstances. But there was no need for such pretenses with Persephone, whom he has known all his life. She could read his heart, sometimes when even he could not understand it. Seungcheol would not burden his parents or even his little brothers with his concerns. But these brief night-time conversations with Persephone always made him feel safe and relieved.

Persephone opened her lips hesitantly. “If it pleases your grace,” she started, respectful as ever, even though they had played with each other and watched each other grow since they were little, “I will say that it is normal to be worried about your loved ones. That is a human condition. However, your majesty, in my humble opinion, you think much too lowly of the other princes. They are all fine young men who will do what is good for the people. You do not have to carry the mantle alone, my lord.”

The gentle chide was exactly what he needed. Prince Seungcheol sipped his tea and looked at Persephone, her eyes lowered again, with admiration and fondness.

She was so kind and wise. Had she been a boy, Seungcheol always thought, her intelligence and hard work would have been put to rightful use. It was a big loss for the empire that she had been born a woman in a society where a woman had no place.

However, he was also secretly glad that he could keep her as a confidante, like a bright pearl hidden in a shell, kept away from the reaches of the world, saved only for him. ‘How selfish I am,’ he thought as he sipped the tea again.

“Thank you, Persephone,” Seungcheol reached out to touch her arm, “Your words are truthful and wise, as always. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Persephone raised her eyes again to look at him, her light brown eyes shining in the candlelight.

The other servants at the castle often worried about her marriage prospects, as she was not considered conventionally beautiful: her skin was marked with freckles and small scars from helping her father around the castle grounds and the long hours in the kitchen left her back hunched and her shoulders rounded. Of course, a virtuous woman like Persephone did not need looks to be beautiful. But Seungcheol found her eyes so striking, the color soft and beautiful, framed by thick, strong brows and long lashes.

As she lifted her eyes, Persephone flinched again at the sight of the prince’s bare chest. But she was more firm now. Their eyes locked in a gaze.

“My lord, there is nothing that I could say to you that you could not hear from your own heart. You are a kind and brave ruler. I am a mere servant girl who brings you some tea at night.”

Those words cut him deeply and he winced at the pang of pain in his heart. She was anything but a “mere servant girl” to him. But then Persephone gave him a warm smile and squeezed his arm back. The gesture was reminiscent of the old days, back when Seungcheol and Persephone were just two children playing in the castle grounds, unaware of the gender and social lines that divided them.

  
He felt his stress melt away at her touch. His inner peace, his Persephone.

She drew back and patiently watched him. Seungcheol stared down at his cup. He didn’t want to finish the tea. He wanted her to stay with him, to share not just pressing matters but his dreams, his day, his musings. But he did not want to keep her awake for so long and he certainly did not want her gossiped about tomorrow morning among the servants. He let out a sigh as he finished the last gulp of tea and handed the cup back to her.

“I won’t keep you long. Night, ‘Seppie.” He called her by the pet name she had when she was a tiny babe.

She broke out in a giggle, breaking her usual stoic and dutiful character. “You haven’t called me that in ages.”

Seungcheol’s heart swelled, pleased at himself for making Persephone laugh like that. She quieted herself into expressionlessness but then glanced at him mischievously.

“Night, Cheollie.”

As her footsteps faded, Seungcheol stared wistfully down the dark hallway.


	4. Chapter 4: Aoidos

Prince Seungkwan peeked from underneath his covers to make sure that Prince Dokyeom, his roommate, was fast asleep. Cracking open the window, he looked down to see how far he would have to climb down today. Thankfully, Prince Seungcheol did not question his insistence to use the guest room on the lowest floor, citing a fear of height as the reason to choose the smallest guest chamber in the castle.

Seungkwan put on dark leggings and tunic top, covering his face with a mask. He draped the rope ladder, which he had brought from home, against the castle wall after securing it in a tight knot around the bedpost, which he had put up against the window before. With agile feet, Prince Seungkwan climbed down the ladder into the dark of the night.

Fear of heights, ha.

He quietly tread through the verdant castle grounds and got to the hole in the wall that Mingyu had spoken about. The bars that were supposed to keep out invaders were, indeed, loose. He wiggled his way through the small opening, taking time to note the location of the hole for when he would be coming back later.

The cool crisp air fit Seungkwan’s feelings perfectly, his heart uplifted by the world outside the castle. As royalty, he was not supposed to wander about, alone. However, as his father often noted fondly as he stroked the boy’s plump cheeks, Seungkwan was like his beautiful mother, wild and free-spirited. He was curious about everything. When he was younger, he would blaze through all of the books in his father’s library, absorbing everything like a sponge. However, as he got tall and clever enough to sneak out and actually interact with the rest of the world, he grew distant from his studies.

Noting the turns on the streets, Prince Seungkwan made his way to the secret pub that Guillaume, the owner of the Lucky Star back home, had told him about. He looked back and forth between the drawn map and the roads until he found the place he was looking for.

He knocked on the door of the Dragon’s Den.

“Password?” a man grunted from the inside, sliding open a tiny slot in the door. Seungkwan cleared his throat. “Mermaid tale.” The eyes glanced at him, scanning him from head to toe. His heartbeat drummed in his ear but Seungkwan stood firm and put on a face of nonchalance. The door reluctantly creaked open.

The doorkeeper kept watching him suspiciously. “You look a bit young to be visiting a joint like this, boy. Why all the coverings? The night is not cold enough for a scarf.”

“I am a traveler from Sterope. In our state, this weather is fit for a winter’s day. May I speak to Master Daedalus of the pub? I’ve been sent here by Master Guillaume of the Lucky Star in Sterope.”

The man’s face brightened at the mention of Guillaume’s name. “Yes, I am the Daedalus you are looking for. Ah, yes, Guillaume did send a message about you, young traveler. He spoke very highly of your talents. Come in, come in. We have to be secretive, you see, we’re technically not allowed to be selling drinks this late in the day and the royal guards have been cracking down on everyone lately, damn them. I suppose you’ll want to be joining the competition today? You arrived just in time.”

Seungkwan watched in amusement as the stout man led him through the hall and down to the stage. The increased security in the capital, of course, was due to him and his brothers arriving here. He made a mental note to be careful about encountering the royal guards on the road back, lest his secret be found out.

Daedalus ushered him to the small table in front of the stage, where an old man was waiting with a quill in his hand. “The fee to enter,” Daedalus explained, “is fifteen denaris. Of course, since you’re a visitor, I can offer a discount…?”

“No, no, sir,” Seungkwan interjected quickly, “I am honored to have been invited for this opportunity in Pleione. I know not a soul around here, so it was kind of you to accept me as a visitor.” Daedalus seemed surprised and pleased as Seungkwan took out the money from his pouch.

Fifteen denaris, Seungkwan knew, was no small change for the average citizen. It was likely that Daedalus called a higher price than usual to offer a “discount” to encourage him to enter. But the money made no difference to Seungkwan.

The pub keeper turned to the old man. “Haggai, please write down this young gentleman’s name, which is…?”

Seungkwan cleared his throat again. “My name is Boo.” That was the stage name that Guillaume had come up with after Seungkwan showed up at his pub the first time, a mere 15-year-old back then, because he had surprised everyone with his voice.

Prince Seungkwan could tell that Daedalus had a lot of questions about that name. But Daedalus, thankfully, did not inquire out loud about it. The old man wrote down the name and wished him luck. “You can have a seat there and we’ll call you. The competition is going to be tournament-style. We give you a mask to put on before you go on, although,” Haggai glanced at his scarf, still covering most of his face, “you look like you might not even need one. Your mask name is going to be “The Black Magician”. So remember that when they start calling out the names, eh lad?”

Taking a seat, Seungkwan finally had the time to look around at the pub. It was quite late but the hall was still full with patrons and bar maids drinking to the sound of the musicians playing on the stage. The Lucky Star was the biggest pub in Sterope, but this place was twice as big. It made Seungkwan wonder how the operation managed to be kept under secret this whole time.

“Okay, folks, we’re starting the tournament. There are four challengers today, and our defending house champion, The Twisted Doe, will be competing with the winner among the four.”

They called up The Bloated Haddock first. A pudgy man with a bent back and a croak in his voice came up and sang some slow, soulful tune that Seungkwan did not recognize. It seemed like the man had been pushed on by his drunkenness into entering. They all clapped politely when he finished. However, when The Wailing Bear came on, the audience was much more receptive, clapping along to a harvest festival tune that Seungkwan fondly remembered his mother singing and dancing to when he was younger. The magnitude of the cheer between the two contestants was obviously different and The Wailing Bear was announced the winner of the round.

Haggai had come to bring him to the side, giving him the black, glittering mask to put on. The emcee shouted, “Now, a special guest from the land of Sterope, The Black Magician will come to the stage to perform!” Seungkwan felt his heart thumping wildly and the nerves jittering and coursing through his veins. He shook out his limbs nervously and stepped onto the stage.

Breathing deeply, Seungkwan began to sing and dance to a well-loved jig from home. The Pleione crowd seemed not to know the song well but before long, the hall was clapping and cheering him on. No longer nervous, he fed off of the energy of the crowd and began to sing and dance even harder.

He craved it, the music, the attention, the excitement. Prince Seungkwan had loved entertaining for the small crowd of his family members, but, as he got older, the behavior became more and more frowned upon. His lovely parents, of course, did not discourage him. However, the life of a prince was not his own and even they could not shelter him from the responsibilities of a ruler once he inherited his own state.

It was around this time that he began to sneak out for these types of competitions, tipped off by a servant boy had boasted about ferreting his way into one. Prince Seungkwan felt happy on the stage. The chains of propriety and dignity that he had to keep on during the day came undone. He could express himself. He brought smile and joy into people’s eyes and it was beautiful.

Giving a big bow to the crowd, Seungkwan ran off the stage. “Very impressive, my friend,” greeted Daedalus with a pint of ale in his hand, “Guillaume was not wrong when he said that you were probably the best performer in Sterope.” Seungkwan blushed at the compliment. “Thank you, kind Daedalus.” They both took a seat to watch his competitor, The Red Eagle, take the stage. A tall gangly figure with a voice that sounded very young took the stage. Seungkwan saw a lot of potential in the Eagle, but alas, the young boy did not have experience or the vocal power to match his. Seungkwan sighed in relief as he was declared the winner of the round.

The second round consisted of the two winning competitors improvising lines back and forth. Prince Seungkwan had a distinct advantage as his studies in music theory and literature made him quick to come up with witty lines. He easily won the crowd over and shook hands with The Wailing Bear, who graciously congratulated him.

Daedalus was beaming as he came up to Seungkwan. “Guillaume told us about your vocal skills but he did not let us know that you were an accomplished musician also! Well, done, my friend. Now, though, you’ll be competing with The Twisted Doe, who has been our reigning champion for three days. Careful, lad, the champion is no small force to be beckoned with.”

When Seungkwan saw his competitor, who was getting ready to go on the stage, he was shocked. The Twisted Doe seemed to be a slender young maiden, standing tall with tight ringlets of black curls tied into a thick braid behind the mask. Never in all the days of performing at these competitions has Seungkwan seen a female competitor. And a young one, at that!

The Twisted Doe took the stage to sing a slow ballad and Seungkwan’s jaw dropped once more. He had been confident in his singing until then, but this stranger’s voice was unearthly. She sounded like a true angel gracing the earth with an ethereal song. It was soft and strong at the same time. The melody flew out of her mouth and soared like doves into the air. Seungkwan had never heard anything like it. Everyone had stopped to look at her. It was like time had been frozen.

When his turn came, Seungkwan tried his best on the ballad that he prepared. And indeed, it was the best performance he had done on a slow song so far, his range and husky tone shown off to their maximum. But even he knew that he did not stand a chance against The Twisted Doe. When she had been declared a champion again, Seungkwan bowed deeply and kissed her hand as a sign of respect.

  
“Thank you so much, kind stranger,” she said with a thick accent that reminded Seungkwan of Prince Wonwoo, “Your song was so beautiful.”

Seungkwan blushed at the fact that he had kissed the hand of an angel and that she had complimented him on his voice. He wanted to ask where she was from-- Electra, perhaps?-- but she was gone as quickly as she had rushed onto the stage.

Daedalus patted his back as Seungkwan took the mask off. “It was a good fight, my lad. Did you enjoy the stage?” The prince nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes, sir. Very much. I would gladly visit again if time allows during my stay at Pleione.” Daedalus laughed heartily and told him to visit any time. The pub keeper went to oversee the bar and Prince Seungkwan thanked Haggai, who was counting up the bets that the drunken patrons had placed on different competitors.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Seungkwan thought he saw a man squinting at him. He quickly wrapped his scarf around his face. It was probably nothing, but it was much better to be safe than sorry. Especially when Phineas had been so ominous with his words today.

He stepped out into the night again, mourning the fact that he had to go back to the dreary walls of the castle.


	5. Chapter 5: Alopex, Lykos

“Prince Mingyu, are you asleep?” 

Mingyu opened his heavy lids to see the wide, fox-like eyes in front of him, staring without blinking. He smiled.

“Not any longer.”

Getting off of the floor, Prince Wonwoo sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at Mingyu who was still swimming in his grogginess. The moonlight crept into the room as if it was peeking at the two princes. In its soft glow, Wonwoo could see Mingyu faintly. The dark skinned boy ran his hand through his hair, still tossing in the sheets. Prince Wonwoo turned his head to stare out at the window, which oversaw the small lake in the back of the castle.

“Hmmph.”

He turned back at the feeling of the arms that were now tightly wrapped around his waist. Mingyu rubbed his face against Wonwoo’s sides, laughing gently. “Why, d’you miss me in your sleep?” he mewed against Wonwoo’s thin torso.

During the day, Prince Mingyu ruled with an iron fist, ruthless and calculating to both his subjects and enemies. His cold and sharp exterior helped him manipulate and coerce people into doing exactly what he wanted them to.

In the darkness of the night, Mingyu was just a child in a man’s body.

Wonwoo felt it often, Mingyu’s ambitions and desires overtaking the charismatic and carefree boy that he had grown up with and loved.

He sensed it and sympathized with them because he, too, had those ambitions sometimes. The drive for absolute power. The greed to have more. The thirst for that something greater that could not be satiated by what he had. The instinct to conquer everything.

For better or for worse, the difference between Mingyu and Wonwoo was that Wonwoo had absolutely no shot at achieving those ambitions. Wonwoo had given up very early in his life, when he realized that his status was not the same as the other princes. The emperor was kind in making sure that he had a state to inherit as his own and that he would be included in all of the activities of his family.

But Wonwoo always knew that he wasn’t just a black sheep: he was an outsider.

He opened his mouth after a long silence. “Mingyu, have you ever thought about taking over the throne yourself?”

It was a question that lingered in his mind ever since Phineas had announced that they would be vetting all of the princes for the throne. Wonwoo himself could not take it of course-- as much as the brothers treated him as their own, he was not one of them. But Prince Mingyu was a different story. He had the pedigree. He had the drive. Mingyu had that ruthless determination for power that Wonwoo could never find in Seungcheol’s soft demeanor.

Mingyu shot up a glare at the stone-faced Wonwoo. “Why would I ever think about that when my older brother is already primed to take it?” he sat up, peering into Wonwoo’s face so closely that their breaths mingled, “Do you doubt my brother, too? How dare those others even think about anyone besides Seungcheol overseeing the empire.” The beautiful face now twisted in annoyance.

That sentiment, Wonwoo concluded, at least was sincere. Mingyu’s ambition didn’t overtake his love and admiration for Seungcheol.

A tense silence passed as their gazes held together. Mingyu’s eyes softened and he blinked a couple of times, peering closer into Wonwoo’s eyes. A plump layer of fat cushioned underneath and the long lash line curving up gently reminded Wonwoo of a kitten he used to raise when he was younger. Wonwoo could see them glittering in the dark, the eyes that wanted something. An assurance, or perhaps--

Blushing, Wonwoo tried to dodge them. But Mingyu’s face followed him, his hands already tying together Wonwoo’s slender, pale wrists.

Not breaking the gaze, Mingyu pecked Wonwoo on the lips.

“No,” Wonwoo spat out, turning his head. But to no avail, the tall boy had already trapped him underneath his body. Mingyu planted another peck on Wonwoo’s cheek.

“Mingyu, not here. Not anymore.”

Flashing his canines, Mingyu ignored Wonwoo’s plea and planted another kiss on him. A kitten’s eyes on a wolf’s face.

“Why? Didn’t you wake me up for this?” he growled, relentlessly pursuing Wonwoo’s eyes with his own.

Wonwoo clenched his eyes shut in near panic. “Don’t you remember what Phineas had said? They’ve been watching us when we were home, so why wouldn’t they watch us while we’re here?”

It always terrified him, the idea that they would be found out eventually.

When they were younger, people accepted their physical closeness as friendship, mere horseplay. They shared deeper things in the secret, hiding without knowing why. Wonwoo had imagined that they would rule together, traveling back and forth between Electra and Celaeno, which were not far away from each other.But as they grew up, it became clear that a future with the two of them together would not be possible. They would marry different women for political reasons and naturally grow apart. If their antics were ever found… Wonwoo shuddered at the thought.

He did not know what the cost would be to ruin the marriage prospects of the emperor’s son.

“They’re not going to find out. Besides, what if they do? My brother is going to become the emperor after my father. He’ll protect us. Do you really not want this? I know you can’t say no to me.” Mingyu whispered seductively, burrowing his way into the crook of Wonwoo’s neck and grazing the skin there softly with his lips.

Wonwoo didn’t know whether to call Mingyu brave or stupid.

“Mingyu, please. Just think for a second.”

Mingyu constantly made him worry. The way he blindly trusted in his own desires and the people around him. It made Wonwoo anxious about the day when Mingyu would finally realize that the world didn’t revolve around his wishes.

Suddenly, as quickly as it began, Mingyu stopped. Frozen in place, Wonwoo stared back at Mingyu’s eyes, which had hardened into a steely glare again.

“Fine. You’re no fun.”

It hurt him to see Prince Mingyu angry at him, but Wonwoo sighed in relief. It was far better than Mingyu was annoyed with him than risk the two of them being implicated in front of the Council.

Mingyu had fallen back into the bed, lifting the cover over his shoulders while he turned his back towards Wonwoo. Feeling his heart ache, Wonwoo closed his eyes and clutched at his head to focus on his own breathing, trying to calm his senses. When his heart stopped beating so angrily, Prince Wonwoo opened his eyes and stared down at the handsome boy, wanting to comfort him. His hand was already outstretched, ready to stroke the younger boy’s hair. Wonwoo hesitated for a second, and then gently touched Mingyu’s head.

When he felt no resistance from Mingyu, Wonwoo combed his fingers through the dark hair gently. Mingyu, already lost in slumber, turned instinctively and tugged Wonwoo’s hand towards his face, smiling in his dream.

  
Sighing, Wonwoo suddenly felt dizzy and so lost.


	6. Chapter 6: Katathlipsi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: depiction of a depressive episode and mild verbal abuse  
> I am probably being overly cautious, but please take note!

Prince Jeonghan fell into these kinds of mood sometimes. 

Just thirty minutes ago, he had been happily chatting away with Prince Joshua about the new manuscript that had come in from Cygna. They had not seen each other for almost a year but the two half-brothers had been talking ceaselessly through written correspondence back and forth between Asterope and Alcyone. Their shared interest in written stories always gave them a fodder for a conversation. 

But unlike Joshua, who had fallen asleep pretty much as soon as his head hit the pillow, Jeonghan wrestled with the thoughts circling through his mind. 

The whole day didn’t sit well with him. He knew that his uncle had been ill, but even Prince Seungcheol seemed surprised at the news that the emperor’s situation was much more serious than they had all believed. Jeonghan could not help but notice the increased number of royal guards at very strategic points of Pleione and the absence of some of the key members of the Council at their little introductory meeting today. He couldn’t shake the thought that something bigger was brewing in their midst.

Prince Jeonghan winced at the feeling of the stomach juice creeping up his esophagus. He stumbled his way across the room to the bar, where a servant had thankfully stocked more than just spirits. Pouring a cup, Jeonghan gulped down the water like a traveler who has been wandering in the desert for days. But the water did not taste sweet. He could only taste sourness in his mouth. 

Leaning against the cool wall, Jeonghan closed his eyes. He remembered the way that Phineas had looked at all of them during the dinner. There were so many signs pointing to a storm fast approaching. He wondered if he was just being paranoid or too sensitive. 

“Sensitive,” he remembered his father grunting, “You are too sensitive. How can you lead like a man over anyone when you are so sensitive? Stop the crying. Crying is for the weak. Do you see your cousins cry?”

His mother had always soothed him with sweets or a lullaby after his father yelled like that. But it had been a few years since she had passed away and Jeonghan’s heart ached with a sudden longing for his mother. He felt helpless without her guidance. She would have been able to calm him down, to tell him that everything was going to be fine. 

But even she would not have been able to convince him that they were all going to be fine. This upset Jeonghan greatly. He loved the brothers. In midst of all of the political struggles around them, they have kept their unity. This whole affair was troubling, and not just because he had fallen into one of these moods either. But even as he noticed all of these signs, Jeonghan couldn't speak up. He could only watch as the hands of darkness crept over his beloved brothers. 

His father was right, Jeonghan thought, he would never amount to anything special. 

Limbs weak, Prince Jeonghan stumbled his way back to the bed, feeling so tired and weary. In his own bed, Joshua muttered something and rolled over. Jeonghan quietly watched, holding his breath until he was sure that Joshua was asleep again. 

Jeonghan lifted the covers over his head, surrounding himself in darkness. It was literally getting hard to breathe. He heaved up and down with some effort, deliberately moving his diaphragm. He wondered how long this feeling would persist this time. The feeling of dread invaded every corner of his life. Last time, the darkness had lasted nearly two months. 

Burying his face into his long hair, Jeonghan tried to shake off his thoughts. It was irrational, he argued with himself, to assume that everything was going to turn out for the worse. That there was something malicious coming their way. That they would not be able to fight their way through it. 

That he would be the cause of their ruin.

It was a silly thought, Jeonghan reminded himself. 

He was comforted at least a little bit by the fact that Prince Seungcheol had been so calm and stoic through this whole process. The eldest prince was the one that they all rallied around. Jeonghan could see all of the ways that Seungcheol dealt with the thirteen of them and lead them through conflicts wisely. He was not the most clever at times but Seungcheol was brave and kind-hearted. Surely, Jeonghan concluded, Prince Seungcheol was the one most fit to lead the empire. 

He sighed loudly at all these thoughts and gasped when he remembered that Prince Joshua was sleeping in the same room. He peeked out from underneath the sheets and saw that his half-brother was still fast asleep. 

Jeonghan’s thoughts turned to his younger brother Dokyeom. He knew that his father had been pleased at how strong and energetic his youngest son had grown up to be. 

While he had not demanded much from Prince Joshua, who grew up at his mother’s castle, the weight of King Ahan’s expectations pressed down on Jeonghan’s shoulders. Their father wanted Jeonghan to compete with Seungcheol, but the timid prince was not cut out to be that. Dokyeom was also, thankfully, far too young to be compared to Seungcheol. But Jeonghan felt his father’s disappointment all the time, often hearing the king’s wish that the two brothers had been born in a different order. 

He had grown used to it, the bitterness.

Wincing again at the pain of the acid running up inside him, Jeonghan swallowed his feelings down with an effort. His worries about their future tightened and constricted him. 

He missed his kind mother so. She was beautiful, her soft brown hair framing her angelic face. Her mouth was always curled into a smile for Jeonghan and Dokyeom. She told them, in the quiet of the night, of stories from lands far away. They filled Jeonghan’s imagination. Even as he stared into her sad, downturned eyes, he felt a sense of comfort. 

He could use that comfort from his mother. Jeonghan could not stop the dark thoughts in his mind. They drove him to despair and hopelessness. Sometimes, it was painful to even lift himself out of his bed. 

Did she feel this way, too, when she left for good? 

Prince Jeonghan wished that the morning sun would not rise as he sunk deeper into the bed.


	7. Chapter 7: Eos

The morning birds chirped lightly as Prince Hoshi opened his eyes. He stretched up in his bed, squeezing his facial muscles together. Yawning out loud, he rolled out of the sheets and went to open the window. The morning air was still dense with dew. He combed his fingers through his straw hair, shaking them out. 

 

Hoshi looked over at the other bed across the room. His twin had kicked off the sheets during the night, leaving them heaped up on the floor. Curled up into a ball, Prince Woozi was sleeping soundly despite all of the noise and light entering the room. Hoshi smiled at the sight. He became an early riser over the years, with an effort, but Woozi was hopeless when he fell asleep. The boy could sleep through the day if no one disturbed him. 

 

But Hoshi’s delight in life was to disturb his younger twin brother.

 

“Wake up.” Hoshi slowly nudged Woozi’s shoulder, fully knowing that it was not enough to wake the sleeping lion. His brother did not even respond to it. “Prince Woozi, it’s time to wake up.” He got a little rougher with the shaking. But Woozi only responded by turning over to bury his face in the pillow.

 

Hoshi climbed on top of his brother, massaging his shoulders. Woozi groaned and mumbled something in response. Hearing this, Hoshi lifted Woozi’s torso off of the bed. “Wake! Up!” 

 

“Ow, ow! Stop it…” When Hoshi let go, Woozi flopped back down onto the bed, nuzzling deeper into the pillow. Gleefully, Hoshi grabbed the small boy up by the arm, eliciting protests. “It’s time to wake up, brother!” he whispered into Woozi’s ear, making his brother wince and shrink from the tickling breath. But in spite of the incessant bother, Prince Woozi refused to rise.

 

So Prince Hoshi had to use this method as a last resort.

 

With swift feet, the older twin rushed to the basin of water that the servants have drawn up for feet washing. He scooped the water up with a small candle jar that had been lying beside the basin. Slowly, he slinked over to where Woozi was sleeping, with a sharp gleam in his eyes, focusing on his prey. He dug his hand into the jar and prepared to spring.

 

“Ugh!” the muffled voice responded to the water flicked at his face. The drops were still quite warm, Hoshi thought, so it must not have been too long since they came into the room with it. He flicked even more water onto Woozi’s face, with gusto. “Alright, ok, I’ll go!” The voice groaned from the pillow with a deep sigh of resignation. 

 

Hoshi pulled the pillow from beneath Woozi as the younger twin finally sat up with the bed. “I’m up, I’m really up,” he mumbled to no one in particular. Prince Hoshi pinched Woozi’s cheek, eliciting a menacing growl from the boy, and hurried to put on his clothes for the day. 

 

Downstairs, Prince Chan tiptoed across the hallway to wake Prince Jun and Prince Myungho from their deep slumber. Prince Myungho had helped him carry Prince Jun upstairs after the handsome prince became a little bit more inebriated with Vernon’s honey mead than usual. Prince Chan, too, was in no state to take care of Jun and so he left the sober Myungho in charge and went to sleep in Vernon’s room instead. 

 

“Oh, you’re awake.” Prince Jun was already at the writing table, scribbling something down on paper as Chan entered the room. Prince Chan jaw dropped. His hair perfectly coiffed, Jun looked like someone who had been awake and groomed for the day for hours. Not the drunken slurring mess that Chan had left just before hours before. 

 

Shaking his head in disbelief, Chan glided over to Prince Myungho, who was fast asleep in the bed. Gently, he shook Myungho’s shoulder. “Prince Myungho, wake up!” The large puppy eyes fluttered open, stared up at Chan, and then slowly shut again. It made Chan laugh out loud. 

 

In a heartbeat, Jun was beside Chan, his fingers hovering over Myungho’s body. “Ready?” Prince Jun wiggled his eyebrows. Chan nodded and the two brothers counted to three. 

 

“No, please!” Myungho was viciously attacked by the tickling hands, “stop, stop, I’ll get up.” Jun and Chan were cackling in the corner while the poor sleepy prince sat up with his hands completely covering over his face. He massaged his pale, skinny cheeks and sat there for a few seconds, staring off into a distance. Myungho brushed his curls away from his face. Blinking widely, he tried to chase away the sleep in his eyes. Jun and Chan, recovered from their laughing fit, slyly poked Myungho, eliciting protests and death glares from him. 

 

Dino smiled gently. “Prince Myungho, we have to go wake Prince Vernon. And then downstairs for morning grub!” 

 

“How many times do I have to tell you that “morning grub” is not a choice of words fit for a ruler?” Prince Jun elbowed his younger brother. Dino rolled away and whined playfully while Prince Myungho finally laughed out loudly, throwing the cover off from his body. 

 

They all snuck quietly over to the other room where Prince Vernon was sleeping. In perfect synchronization, they crept over to where he was lying in deep slumber and hovered over him without a sound. “On three,” Jun mouthed to the others, who nodded. On Jun’s count, they all jumped onto the bed, screaming at the top of their lungs. 

 

“Please!” Prince Vernon managed to spit out, still clutching at his heart, when his drowsy mind could finally comprehend the situation. He tried to pull the sheets over his head but the other princes had their hands ready, grabbing and practically tearing the fabric off of Vernon’s face. The smile on his face was not out of gladness for the wake-up call but a disbelief at the way that his brothers tickled and pinched him, like he was an 8-year-old child. 

 

Prince Jun had been holding both of his ankles and Prince Dino and Myungho held each arm and were posing to pull before Vernon shouted in defeat. “Alright, ok. I’ll go!” The handsome boy rubbed his temples as he sat up. 

 

When the four princes went down to the dining hall, the twins were already there munching on bread. Prince Hoshi waved excitedly while Prince Woozi just nodded his head towards them in acknowledgement of their presence. Soon after, the grinning Prince Dokyeom and tired-looking Seungkwan came into the hall, with Prince Seungkwan teasing Dokyeom about his horse-like snoring during the night. Next entered Prince Joshua, practically dragging and pushing the still-sleepy Jeonghan down the stairs and clicking his tongue at how weak Jeonghan was. Prince Wonwoo and Prince Mingyu entered the hall in a glide, both silent and looking coolly at the meager breakfast on the table. Mingyu stopped in front of Helene, who was doing the serving work, and gave a dutiful peck on the cheek for his old nurse. 

 

Finally, a smiling Prince Seungcheol entered the room, greeting Helene warmly before addressing the room. “I know the breakfast is a little bit simple, but I wanted to give my staff a bit of time after last night’s festivities. Besides, I think we can all afford to work off all of the food from the feast last night.” The table roared in laughter. 

 

They all sat and, soon, the room was filled with merry conversation like the night before. Prince Jeonghan was doting over Prince Dokyeom, who was dropping crumbs everywhere because he was busy laughing at Prince Seungkwan and Hoshi’s banter. In the corner, Prince Wonwoo sat quietly listening to Prince Mingyu boast about his latest hunt to an amused Prince Seungcheol and Prince Dino. Prince Woozi, Myungho, and Joshua were deeply engrossed in a conversation about the new trade routes emerging from Cigna by the way of Electra while Prince Vernon and Jun kept horsing around with their cutlery. 

 

A sudden rap at the door interrupted the peaceful breakfast. 

Voltaire rushed in with a host of royal guards trailing behind him. The thirteen princes stiffened in unison. In the midst of the morning’s activities, they had forgotten about the selection process. They looked up at the tall, buff man, untouched by the hands of old age everywhere except for the top of his head, which was balding. 

  
“Prince Chan,” Voltaire’s gravelly voice summoned the youngest prince, “Your presence is requested at the Council.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long! The chapter is short. Hopefully it will work as a bridge into longer chapters...  
> Also, I have added a family chart at the end of Chapter 1 for a reader who requested one. Hopefully, that can kind of clarify how all of the princes are related.


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